Excitation device for slender elongated body model test, and system and method for evaluating performance of slender elongated body by using same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device and a method for examining the design and performance of a slender elongated body connected to a marine structure. The present invention provides an excitation device for a slender elongated body model test, and a system and a method for evaluating the performance of a slender elongated body by using the same, wherein the excitation device is configured to simulate three-axis (X, Y, Z) translation of a marine structure to which the slender elongated body is connected, so that a slender elongated body performance evaluation model test can be performed by reproducing various marine environment conditions in a marine engineering water tank without the need to input a separate marine structure model, thereby enabling more accurate performance evaluation of the slender elongated body and significantly reducing the time and cost required for the model test.

Description

Excitation device for slender body model testing and slender body performance evaluation system and method using the same

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for performing and evaluating model tests by reproducing various marine environmental conditions in an ocean engineering tank to examine the design and performance of a slender body connected to an offshore structure. More specifically, in order to solve the problems of conventional apparatuses and methods for slender body model tests using an ocean engineering tank, which generally had limitations that were difficult to implement in reality because, in order to realize the load acting on the slender body during a slender body model test using an ocean engineering tank, a model of the offshore structure to which the slender body is connected must be manufactured and connected to the slender body to be tested and evaluated, and then the excitation force acting on the slender body must be realized through the environment reproduction equipment of the ocean engineering tank, the invention relates to an excitation device for slender body model testing configured to enable the performance evaluation model test of a slender body in an ocean engineering tank without the need to input an offshore structure model, and a slender body performance evaluation system and method configured to evaluate the performance of the slender body using the same.

[0002] In addition, the present invention relates to an excitation device for slender body model testing and a slender body performance evaluation system and method configured to enable the performance evaluation of slender bodies using the same, which is configured to solve the problems of conventional slender body model testing devices and methods using an ocean engineering tank, which had limitations that made practical implementation difficult due to the excessive preliminary work required to directly manufacture and input a model of an ocean structure to which the slender body is connected as described above, by simulating three-axis translational motion including horizontal plane (X, Y) motion and vertical (Z) up-and-down motion, excluding rotational motion of the ocean structure to which the slender body is connected and connected to the measurement frame of a towing vehicle in the ocean engineering tank, thereby enabling the performance evaluation of slender bodies by reproducing various marine environmental conditions in the ocean engineering tank without the need to input a separate ocean structure model, and thereby enabling more accurate performance evaluation of the slender body while drastically reducing the time and cost required for model testing.

[0003]

[0004] Recently, the number of offshore structures installed for marine environmental exploration or resource development has been increasing. To install such structures, it is necessary to first conduct an evaluation through model testing of the structure to be constructed in an ocean engineering tank that reproduces various marine environmental conditions.

[0005] To this end, various devices and methods have been proposed to reproduce various marine conditions during model testing or performance evaluation of marine structures, such as those presented in the prior art, for example, the "Device for Real Sea Wind Simulation for Model Testing of Floating Offshore Wind Power Generation Devices" in Korean Registered Patent Publication No. 10-2372930 and the "Device for Wind Load Testing for Model Testing of Wind Turbines" in Korean Registered Patent Publication No. 10-1684459; however, the prior art described above had the following limitations.

[0006] In other words, generally, various offshore structures installed in the ocean for energy and resource development must be equipped with systems for transporting the produced energy or resources. For example, in the case of oil field development, long pipe-shaped risers are used to transport crude oil from the reservoir on the seabed to the offshore structure, and in the case of offshore wind power generation, power lines are installed to supply the electrical energy produced by the wind turbine to intermediate transformers or onshore demand centers.

[0007] In addition, structures generally installed on offshore structures are often formed in a slender, elongated shape with a length significantly greater than their diameter, and are referred to as so-called slender bodies. These slender bodies are installed underwater and exposed to marine environmental loads such as waves and currents, subjecting them to complex load conditions.

[0008] Here, in order to review the design and performance of a slender body connected to an offshore structure, it is necessary to perform an evaluation through model tests by reproducing various marine environmental conditions in an ocean engineering tank, but since the slender body is connected to an offshore structure, it undergoes excitation motion at the connection point due to the movement of the floating structure.

[0009] Therefore, in order to realize the behavior of an offshore structure in a slender body model test, an experimental model of the offshore structure must be introduced to create an experimental environment. However, in reality, there are many situations where it is practically difficult to introduce an offshore structure model connected to the slender body in a model test to evaluate the performance of the slender body, which is the main subject of the test. Even if such an offshore structure model is actually implemented, there are limitations in that it is difficult to implement strict excitation conditions for the slender body.

[0010] More specifically, as mentioned above, for slender body model testing using an ocean engineering tank, it is necessary to accurately implement the loads acting on the slender body. The loads acting on the slender body include excitation forces caused by the motion of the ocean structure and fluid forces caused by waves and currents. These loads cause the underwater dynamic behavior of the slender body and the phenomenon of vortex-induced vibration (VIV).

[0011] In addition, to implement such loads, the existing method involves directly modeling and deploying an offshore structure to which the slender body is connected, connecting it to the slender body subject to test and evaluation, and then implementing waves and currents through the environment simulation equipment of an ocean engineering tank to implement the excitation force acting on the slender body. However, this method of manufacturing and deploying an offshore structure to implement the excitation force requires, in addition to modeling the offshore structure, adjusting the weight and inertia to match the motion characteristics with the design, and there is a problem that excessive preliminary work, such as wave calibration, is required to strictly implement the motion of the offshore structure in waves.

[0012] Accordingly, incorporating an offshore structure model into a model test for evaluating the performance of the slender body itself requires a significant investment of resources and time, which can serve as an obstacle to the evaluation of the slender body model test. However, most of the conventional technologies mentioned above only present technical details for model tests to evaluate the performance of the offshore structure itself, and thus have limitations in that they do not provide details regarding model tests for evaluating the performance of the slender body as described above.

[0013] Therefore, in order to resolve the limitations of the conventional marine structure performance evaluation model test devices and methods described above, it is desirable to present a new type of excitation device for slender body model testing configured to simulate the dynamic behavior of a marine structure to which slender bodies are connected, thereby enabling the performance evaluation model test of slender bodies to be performed in an ocean engineering tank without the need to input a separate marine structure model, and to present a slender body performance evaluation system and method configured to evaluate the performance of slender bodies using this device; however, the reality is that no device or method satisfying all such requirements has yet been presented.

[0014]

[0015] The present invention aims to solve the problems of the prior art as described above. Accordingly, the objective of the present invention is to provide an excitation device for slender body model testing and a system and method for slender body performance evaluation using the same, which is configured to enable slender body performance evaluation model testing in a marine engineering tank without the need to input a marine structure model, in order to solve the problems of the prior art slender body model testing devices and methods using a marine engineering tank, which generally had limitations that were difficult to implement in reality because, in order to realize the load acting on the slender body during slender body model testing using a marine engineering tank, a marine structure model to which the slender body is connected must be manufactured and connected to the slender body to be evaluated, and then the excitation force acting on the slender body must be realized through the environmental reproduction equipment of the marine engineering tank.

[0016] In addition, another objective of the present invention is to provide an excitation device for slender body model testing and a system and method for slender body performance evaluation using the same, which is configured to solve the problems of conventional slender body model testing devices and methods using ocean engineering tanks, which had limitations that made practical implementation difficult due to the excessive preliminary work required to directly manufacture and input a model of an ocean structure to which the slender body is connected as described above. By configuring the device to simulate three-axis translational motion including horizontal plane (X, Y) motion and vertical (Z) up-and-down motion, excluding rotational motion of the ocean structure to which the slender body is connected, by connecting it to the measurement frame of a towing vehicle inside the ocean engineering tank, it is possible to perform slender body performance evaluation model tests by reproducing various marine environmental conditions in the ocean engineering tank without the need to input a separate ocean structure model. This enables more accurate performance evaluation of the slender body and, at the same time, drastically reduces the time and cost required for model testing.

[0017]

[0018] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, according to the present invention, an excitation device for a slender body model test is provided, comprising: a main frame forming the main body of the excitation device; a towing vehicle connection part formed on one side of the main frame so as to be connected to a measuring frame of a towing vehicle in an ocean engineering tank; a slender body connection part formed on one side of the main frame to connect a slender body to be tested; a horizontal driving part for applying horizontal movement (X-axis, Y-axis) to a slender body to be tested connected to the slender body connection part; a vertical driving part for applying vertical movement (Z-axis) to a slender body to be tested connected to the slender body connection part; and a control part for controlling the overall operation of the excitation device.

[0019] Here, the excitation device is characterized in that the main frame is formed in the shape of a rectangular frame having an internal space of a predetermined area, and a towing vehicle connection part is formed on one side of the main frame to be installed in a manner that is mounted on the measurement frame of a towing vehicle in an ocean engineering tank, and the horizontal driving unit and the vertical driving unit are each installed in the rectangular frame portion of the main frame, and the slender body connection part is installed at the bottom of the vertical driving unit to connect the slender body to be tested, and the device is configured to apply motion in the three axes (X, YZ) to the slender body to be tested connected to the slender body connection part by controlling the horizontal driving unit and the vertical driving unit respectively through the control unit.

[0020] Additionally, the horizontal drive unit comprises an X-axis drive unit for implementing horizontal movement in the X-axis direction; and a Y-axis drive unit for implementing horizontal movement in the Y-axis direction, wherein each of the X-axis drive unit and the Y-axis drive unit comprises: a servo motor disposed at one corner of a rectangular frame of the main frame to supply power; a first ball screw with one end connected to the servo motor and arranged in a straight line along the side of the rectangular frame; a first ball screw nut coupled to the first ball screw and moved according to the rotation of the first ball screw; a first LM guide disposed parallel to the first ball screw on the rectangular frame; a first LM guide block connected to one end of the first ball screw nut and moved together along the first LM guide when the first ball screw nut is moved by the rotation of the first ball screw; and a first linear guide shaft connected to the first LM guide block. A first bevel gear box connected to the other end of the first ball screw; a drive shaft with one end connected to the first bevel gear box and arranged in a straight line along a side that contacts perpendicularly to the side where the first ball screw is arranged; a second bevel gear box connected to the other end of the drive shaft; a second ball screw connected to the second bevel gear box and arranged in a straight line along a side parallel to the side where the first ball screw is arranged; a second ball screw nut coupled to the second ball screw and moved according to the rotation of the second ball screw; a second LM guide arranged parallel to the second ball screw; and a second LM guide block connected to one end of the second ball screw nut and moved together along the second LM guide when the second ball screw nut is moved by the rotation of the second ball screw. It is characterized by being configured to include a second linear guide axis connected to the second LM guide block.

[0021] In addition, the vertical drive unit is characterized by comprising: a guide block formed in a box shape and arranged so that linear guide axes for the X-axis and Y-axis penetrate the interior, respectively; a servo motor positioned on the upper part of the guide block to supply power, and a ball screw connected vertically to the lower part of the servo motor; four linear guide axes each positioned vertically at each corner of the guide block to reproduce up-and-down movement in the Z-axis direction according to the driving of the servo motor; and a slender body connecting plate connected to the end of the linear guide axes so that the slender body under test is connected to the bottom surface.

[0022] Here, the slender body connecting portion is composed of the slender body connecting plate, and is characterized by having a plurality of taps machined at equal intervals on the back surface of the slender body plate so as to enable the installation of structures of various shapes including various measuring sensors.

[0023] Furthermore, the control unit is characterized by being configured to perform processing to implement a plurality of driving modes according to operating conditions set by the user, including a jog mode that implements motion based on speed and distance traveled input by the user, a multi-axis motion mode that implements translational motion based on speed, distance traveled in three axes and number of reciprocating cycles input by the user, a circular motion mode that implements circular motion based on radius, period, and number of cycles in three axes input by the user, and an external mode that simulates the motion time series of an offshore structure based on coordinates defined according to time in three axes input by the user, and to store the X, Y, and Z coordinates of the implemented motion to analyze whether the actual driving accuracy is accurate.

[0024] In addition, the above-mentioned excitation device is characterized by further including limit switches using proximity sensors on the X, Y, and Z axes, respectively, so as to be configured to prevent malfunction by detecting when the device is driven beyond a driving range or speed limit according to a predetermined setting or standard.

[0025] In addition, according to the present invention, a slender body model test system is provided, characterized by being configured to include the excitation device for the slender body model test described above.

[0026] Furthermore, according to the present invention, a slender body performance evaluation system is provided, comprising: a model test unit configured to perform a model test on a slender body under test according to a predetermined setting; and a performance evaluation unit configured to perform a process for evaluating the performance of the slender body under test according to a predetermined setting or standard based on the results of the model test performed through the model test unit, wherein the model test unit is configured to perform a model test on the slender body under test using an excitation device for the slender body model test described above.

[0027] In addition, according to the present invention, a method for evaluating the performance of a slender body is provided, comprising: a model test step in which a process is performed to conduct a model test on a slender body to be tested through a model test device according to a predetermined setting; and a performance evaluation step in which a process is performed to evaluate the performance of the slender body to be tested according to a predetermined setting or standard based on the results of the model test in the model test step, wherein the model test step is configured such that a model test of the slender body to be tested is performed using an excitation device for the slender body model test described above.

[0028]

[0029] As described above, according to the present invention, an excitation device for slender body model testing is provided, configured to simulate three-axis translational motion including horizontal plane (X, Y) motion and vertical (Z) up-and-down motion, excluding rotational motion of the marine structure to which the slender body is connected, by being connected to a measurement frame of a towing vehicle in a marine engineering tank. This allows for the performance evaluation model testing of the slender body to be performed by reproducing various marine environmental conditions in a marine engineering tank without the need to input a separate marine structure model. Consequently, a more accurate performance evaluation of the slender body can be achieved, while the time and cost required for the model test can be drastically reduced.

[0030] In addition, according to the present invention, an excitation device for slender body model testing is provided, configured to simulate three-axis translational motion for an offshore structure to which a slender body is connected, connected to a measuring frame of a towing vehicle in an offshore engineering tank as described above. This solves the problems of conventional slender body model testing devices and methods using an offshore engineering tank, which had limitations that were difficult to implement in reality because, in order to realize the load acting on the slender body during slender body model testing using an offshore engineering tank, a model of an offshore structure to which a slender body is connected must be manufactured and connected to the slender body to be tested and evaluated, and then the excitation force acting on the slender body must be realized through the environment reproduction equipment of the offshore engineering tank.

[0031] In addition, according to the present invention, by using an excitation device for slender body model testing configured to simulate three-axis translational motion for an offshore structure connected to a towing vehicle in an offshore engineering tank as described above, it is possible to perform slender body performance evaluation model tests by reproducing various marine environmental conditions in an offshore engineering tank without the need to input a separate offshore structure model, thereby enabling more accurate performance evaluation of the slender body and significantly reducing the time and cost required for model testing, thereby easily implementing a slender body performance evaluation system and method.

[0032]

[0033] FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing the overall configuration of an excitation device for a slender body model test according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the overall configuration of an excitation device for a slender body model test according to an embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1.

[0035] FIG. 3 is a plan view of an excitation device for a slender body model test according to an embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2.

[0036] FIG. 4 is a side view of an excitation device for a slender body model test according to an embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2.

[0037] FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically showing a specific configuration example of a horizontal driving unit of an excitation device for a slender body model test according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing a specific configuration example of a vertical drive unit of an excitation device for a slender body model test according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] FIG. 7 is a block diagram schematically showing the overall configuration of a slender body performance evaluation system configured using an excitation device for slender body model testing according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] FIG. 8 is a flowchart schematically showing the overall configuration of a method for evaluating the performance of a slender body using an excitation device for a slender body model test according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0041]

[0042] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the excitation device for slender body model testing according to the present invention and the slender body performance evaluation system and method using the same will be described with reference to the attached drawings.

[0043] Hereinafter, it should be noted that the following description is merely one embodiment for carrying out the present invention, and the present invention is not limited only to the contents of the embodiment described below.

[0044] In addition, it should be noted that in the following description of the embodiments of the present invention, detailed descriptions of parts that are identical or similar to the prior art or that are deemed to be easily understood and implemented by those skilled in the art have been omitted for the sake of brevity.

[0045] Next, with reference to the drawings, specific details of the excitation device for slender body model testing according to the present invention and the slender body performance evaluation system and method using the same will be described.

[0046] More specifically, first, referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing the overall configuration of an excitation device (10) for a slender body model test according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 1, the excitation device (10) for a slender body model test according to an embodiment of the present invention may be broadly composed of a main frame (11) forming the main body of the excitation device (10), a towing vehicle connection part (12) formed on one side of the main frame (11) so as to be connected to a measuring frame of a towing vehicle in a marine engineering tank, a slender body connection part (13) formed on one side of the main frame (11) to connect a slender body to be tested, a horizontal driving part (14) for applying horizontal movement (X-axis, Y-axis) to a slender body to be tested connected to the slender body connection part (13) of the main frame (11), a vertical driving part (15) for applying vertical movement (Z-axis) to a slender body to be tested connected to the slender body connection part (13), and a control part (16) for controlling the overall operation of each of the above parts and the excitation device (10).

[0048] More specifically, referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, first, FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing an actual configuration example of an excitation device (10) for a slender body model test according to an embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1.

[0049] In addition, FIG. 3 is a plan view of an excitation device (10) for a slender body model test according to an embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a side view of an excitation device (10) for a slender body model test according to an embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2.

[0050] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the excitation device (10) for slender body model testing according to an embodiment of the present invention may be configured such that a main frame (11) is formed in the shape of a rectangular frame having an internal space of a certain area overall, and a towing vehicle connection part (12) is formed on one side of the main frame (11) to be installed in a manner that is mounted on the measurement frame of the towing vehicle in the ocean engineering tank.

[0051] In addition, a horizontal drive unit (14) and a vertical drive unit (15), each comprising a drive motor and a drive shaft, are installed in the inner space of the main frame (11) formed in a rectangular shape, and a slender body connecting unit (13) for connecting a slender body to be tested is formed at the bottom of the vertical drive unit (15), and the horizontal drive unit (14) and the vertical drive unit (15) are controlled through a control unit (16) (not shown) so that various movements in the three axes (X, YZ) can be applied to the slender body to be tested connected to the slender body connecting unit (13).

[0052] That is, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the excitation device (10) for a slender body model test according to an embodiment of the present invention is a device that simulates the wave motion dynamic behavior of an ocean structure to which a slender body is connected for a slender body model test performed in an ocean engineering tank, and is configured to simulate translational motion in three axes (X, Y, Z) excluding rotational motion of the ocean structure.

[0053] Here, since the connection part of the slender body connected to the offshore structure mainly releases the constraint on rotational motion, no load is generated by rotational motion and is mainly affected by translational motion. Accordingly, the present invention provides an excitation device that implements three-axis motion.

[0054] Furthermore, the excitation device (10) for slender body model testing according to an embodiment of the present invention can implement period and displacement conditions having the form of trigonometric functions in each axis direction for testing and evaluating the natural periodic motion of the slender body, so conditions that could not be implemented when testing by connecting traditional marine structures can also be implemented.

[0055] To this end, in the excitation device (10) for slender body model testing according to an embodiment of the present invention, the distance of movement in each axis direction is determined based on the horizontal and vertical movement results of the marine structure considering the usual 1 / 60 scale condition, that is, the X and Y axes are 1,500 mm and the Z axis is 500 mm, and when converted to actual conditions, the X and Y axes are 90 m and the Z axis is 30 m, so the range of motion of the marine structure in waves can be realized.

[0056] In addition, since the slender body is generally connected to the lower part of the hull of an offshore structure, in order to implement this, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the slender body connecting part (13) is formed at the lower part of the structure of the vertical drive unit (15) for implementing vertical movement, and the end of the slender body is connected, so that there is no problem even when the lower structure of the slender body connecting part (13) comes into contact with water, and it can be configured to be easily connected to a sensor such as a load cell for measuring the load of the slender body.

[0057] Here, the load acting on the test subject slender body and the slender body connection part (13) is a dynamic load due to the behavior of the slender body and a static load due to underwater weight, and the motor output and structural strength of the frame can be determined so that the excitation device can be driven under various load conditions, and in the present invention, it can be configured to be driven even under load conditions of up to 300N.

[0058] In addition, regarding the excitation device (10) for testing a slender body model according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the specific configuration details, such as the shape, size, and material of the main frame (11), the towing vehicle connection part (12), and the slender body connection part (13), can be appropriately selected and implemented by a person skilled in the art as needed, for example, by the type of marine engineering tank to be applied or the type of slender body to be tested. Therefore, in order to simplify the explanation, it should be noted that in the present invention, detailed explanations have been omitted regarding details that are obvious to a person skilled in the art from the content of the prior art as described above, or details that a person skilled in the art can easily understand and implement by referring to prior art literature, etc.

[0059] Continuing, referring to FIG. 5, FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically showing a specific configuration example of a horizontal driving unit (14) of an excitation device (10) for slender body model testing according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 5, the horizontal drive unit (14) of the excitation device (10) for slender body model testing according to an embodiment of the present invention is configured to include an X-axis drive unit and a Y-axis drive unit for implementing horizontal movement for each axis (X, Y). Each X-axis drive unit and Y-axis drive unit comprises: a servo motor (51) positioned at a rectangular corner of the main frame (11) to supply power; a ball screw (52) connected to one end of the servo motor (51) and arranged in a straight line along the side of the rectangle; a ball screw nut (53) coupled to the ball screw (52) and moved according to the rotation of the ball screw (52); an LM guide (54) arranged parallel to the ball screw (52); an LM guide block (55) connected to one end of the ball screw nut (53) and moved together along the LM guide (54) when the ball screw nut (53) moves due to the rotation of the ball screw (52); and connected to the other end of the ball screw (52). It can be configured to enable movement in a horizontal plane (X, Y) by driving two ball screws installed parallel to each other using one servo motor for each axis, including a bevel gear box (56), a drive shaft (57) connected to the bevel gear box (55), and a linear guide shaft (58) connected to the LM guide block (55).

[0061] That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the above-mentioned horizontal drive unit (14) has a structure connected to the measurement frame of the towing vehicle in the ocean engineering tank through the main frame (11), and can be configured to drive two ball screws (52) with one servo motor (51) for each axis (X, Y) to implement horizontal plane (X, Y) movement for the slender body under test.

[0062] At this time, two bevel gear boxes (56) and a drive shaft (57) are installed to simultaneously drive two ball screws (52) installed parallel to each other, and an LM guide (54) can be configured to be installed equally on the installation surface of the ball screws (52) in consideration of the linearity and stability of the movement and the load.

[0063] Also, referring to FIG. 6, FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing a specific configuration example of a vertical drive unit (15) of an excitation device (10) for a slender body model test according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0064] As shown in FIG. 6, the vertical drive unit (15) of the excitation device (10) for slender body model testing according to an embodiment of the present invention can be configured to control each axis without mutual interference between axes by connecting a structure including a central Z-axis drive unit and a test target slender body connection unit (13) with a linear guide.

[0065] More specifically, the above-described vertical drive unit (15) may be configured to include a guide block (61) formed in a box shape as shown in FIG. 6, wherein linear guide shafts (58) for the X-axis and Y-axis are respectively positioned to penetrate the interior, a servo motor (62) positioned on the upper part of the guide block (61) to supply power, a ball screw (63) connected vertically to the lower part of the servo motor (62), four linear guide shafts (64) each positioned vertically at each corner of the guide block (61) to reproduce the up-and-down movement in the Z-axis direction according to the driving of the servo motor (62), and a slender body connecting plate (65) connected to the end of the linear guide shafts (64) so ​​as to connect the slender body to the bottom surface.

[0066] As described above, the driving principle of vertical up-and-down movement (Z-axis) can also be configured to be the same or similar as the case of the X and Y axes described above, that is, the vertical drive unit (15) described above can be configured to determine the position using a servo motor (62) and a ball screw (63), and to reproduce up-and-down movement using four linear guide axes (65) instead of an LM guide (54).

[0067] In addition, the above-mentioned slender body connecting plate (65) corresponds to the slender body connecting part (13) shown in FIG. 1, and can be configured so that various shapes of structures can be installed by machining several tabs at equal intervals on the back surface of the plate, that is, generally, a sensor capable of measuring the component force or tension of the slender body to be tested is installed first, and then the slender body to be tested is connected to perform the test.

[0068] Furthermore, it should be noted that the excitation device (10) for slender body model testing according to an embodiment of the present invention may be configured to prevent malfunction by installing limit switches using proximity sensors on the X, Y, and Z axes, respectively, as safety devices, although not illustrated therein. In addition, the driving program of the control unit (16) described above may be configured to include a function to limit input exceeding the driving range, an automatic speed calculation function, and a function to prevent driving at a limited speed, and the present invention may be configured in various ways as needed.

[0069] In addition, the model test process using the excitation device (10) for the slender body model test according to the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above can be configured such that, first, the excitation device (10) is installed on the measurement frame of the towing vehicle, and various measuring devices such as a component force or tension measuring device are installed on the slender body connecting plate (65), that is, the slender body connecting part (13), which is provided at the bottom of the vertical drive part (15), and then the slender body to be tested is installed to measure the applied force and the 6-degrees-of-freedom behavior of the slender body to be tested is analyzed using an optical motion measuring device capable of measuring underwater behavior.

[0070] At this time, the operating conditions set in the control program of the control unit (16) of the excitation device (10) are transmitted to the driving device to enable the implementation of various modes, and the X, Y, and Z coordinates of the implemented motion are saved as a load file to verify the actual driving accuracy.

[0071] More specifically, according to the present invention, various operations can be performed, such as a jog mode that implements motion by receiving a specific speed and distance traveled from a user, a multi-axis motion mode that implements translational motion by receiving a specific speed, distance traveled, and number of round trips from a user in three axes, a circular motion mode that implements circular motion by receiving a specific radius, period, and number of round trips from a user in three axes, and an external mode that simulates the motion time series of an offshore structure by implementing coordinates defined according to time in three axes.

[0072] As described above, the present invention presents the concept, device design, control program, and operation method of a 3-axis excitation device capable of performing model tests by reproducing various marine environmental conditions in an ocean engineering tank to examine the design and performance of a slender body connected to an offshore structure. Through this, according to the present invention, preparation time and budget can be drastically reduced compared to the case where a model of an offshore structure is created and introduced to implement model test conditions for evaluating the performance of a slender body, while having the advantage of being able to implement various desired motion conditions rigorously.

[0073] Furthermore, with the recent trend of expanding marine energy and resource development, performance evaluations of related slender bodies are expected to increase. Accordingly, it is anticipated that the excitation device according to the embodiment of the present invention will enhance the accuracy and ensure ease of performance evaluation in slender body model tests.

[0074] Accordingly, as described above, an excitation device (10) for slender body model testing according to an embodiment of the present invention can be implemented, and a slender body model testing system in which slender body model testing is performed can be easily implemented using this.

[0075] Here, regarding the more specific details of the processing process for simulating the three-axis translational motion of an offshore structure connected to a measuring frame of a towing vehicle in an offshore engineering tank and evaluating its performance in the embodiment of the present invention described above, since this is a matter that can be appropriately implemented by a person skilled in the art by referring to the contents of the slender body model test apparatus and method and the slender body performance evaluation system and method of the prior art, it should be noted that in order to simplify the explanation, the detailed description of the content that is obvious to a person skilled in the art from the prior art as described above, or that can be easily understood and implemented by a person skilled in the art by referring to the literature of the prior art, etc., has been omitted in the present invention.

[0076] In addition, although the above-described embodiment of the present invention has been explained using an example where the invention is configured to simulate three-axis translational motion for a marine structure to which a slender body is connected, connected to a measurement frame of a towing vehicle within a marine engineering tank, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the contents presented in the above-described embodiment. That is, in addition to the configuration presented in the above-described embodiment, the present invention may further include a communication unit for communicating via wired or wireless means with external devices such as a user terminal or server comprising an information processing device such as a PC or laptop, or a personal portable information and communication terminal such as a smartphone or tablet PC, for example, and a database unit for storing various data obtained through each processing process and result, thereby constructing a database related to slender body model testing by storing model test contents and results for each slender body, and configuring the invention to perform processing that provides desired information in a customized manner according to a user's request, or, for example, Deep Learning or Machine Learning, or Artificial Neural Network (ANN) or Convolutional Neural Network (Convolutional Neural Network; It should be noted that the present invention may be configured to be configured with various modifications and changes as needed by those skilled in the art within the scope without departing from the spirit and essence of the invention, such as by using a CNN-based artificial intelligence algorithm to automatically perform the processing of evaluating the performance of the slender body from model test results received in real time.

[0077] Accordingly, as described above, an excitation device (10) for a slender body model test according to an embodiment of the present invention can be implemented, and by using this, a slender body performance evaluation system and method for evaluating performance through a model test on a slender body can be easily implemented.

[0078] That is, referring to FIG. 7, FIG. 7 is a block diagram schematically showing the overall configuration of a slender body performance evaluation system (70) configured using an excitation device (10) for slender body model testing according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0079] As shown in FIG. 7, the slender body performance evaluation system (70) according to an embodiment of the present invention may be broadly configured to include a model test unit (71) in which a model test is performed on a slender body to be tested according to a predetermined setting, and a performance evaluation unit (72) in which a process is performed to evaluate the performance of the slender body to be tested according to a predetermined setting or standard based on the results of the model test performed through the model test unit (71).

[0080] Here, the above-described model test section (71) may be configured to perform a model test of a slender body to be tested using an excitation device (10) for a slender body model test according to an embodiment of the invention configured as described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6, and it should be noted that detailed descriptions of redundant content have been omitted here for brevity.

[0081] In addition, regarding the specific configuration of the performance evaluation unit (82) that evaluates the performance of the slender body based on the results of the slender body model test, it should be noted that since it is a matter that can be appropriately implemented by a person skilled in the art by referring to the contents of the slender body model test and performance evaluation systems and methods of the prior art, the detailed explanation has been omitted here for the sake of brevity.

[0082] Continuing, referring to FIG. 8, FIG. 8 is a flowchart schematically showing the overall configuration of a method for evaluating the performance of a slender body using an excitation device (10) for a slender body model test according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0083] As shown in FIG. 8, the method for evaluating the performance of a slender body according to an embodiment of the present invention may be broadly composed of a model test step (S10) in which a process is performed to conduct a model test on a slender body to be tested through a model test device according to a predetermined setting, and a performance evaluation step (S20) in which a process is performed to evaluate the performance of the slender body to be tested according to a predetermined setting or standard based on the results of the model test in the model test step (S10).

[0084] Here, the above-described model test step (S10) may be configured so that a model test of a slender body to be tested is performed using an excitation device (10) for a slender body model test according to an embodiment of the present invention configured as described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

[0085] Accordingly, as described above, an excitation device for slender body model testing and a system and method for evaluating the performance of a slender body using the same can be implemented according to an embodiment of the present invention. By doing so, according to the present invention, the device is configured to simulate three-axis translational motion including horizontal plane (X, Y) motion and vertical (Z) up-and-down motion, excluding rotational motion of the marine structure to which the slender body is connected and which is connected to the measurement frame of a towing vehicle in a marine engineering tank. This allows for the performance evaluation model test of a slender body to be performed by reproducing various marine environmental conditions in a marine engineering tank without the need to input a separate marine structure model. Consequently, a more accurate performance evaluation of the slender body can be achieved, while the time and cost required for the model test can be drastically reduced.

[0086] Although detailed information regarding the excitation device for slender body model testing and the slender body performance evaluation system and method using the same has been described above through the embodiments of the present invention, the present invention is not limited only to the contents described in the above embodiments. Therefore, it is obvious that the present invention can be modified, changed, combined, and substituted in various ways by a person skilled in the art according to design needs and other various factors.

[0087]

[0088] [Explanation of the symbol]

[0089] 10. Excitation device for slender body model testing

[0090] 11. Mainframe

[0091] 12. Towing vehicle connection

[0092] 13. Slender body connector

[0093] 14. Horizontal drive unit

[0094] 15. Vertical drive unit

[0095] 16. Control Unit

[0096] 51. Servo motor

[0097] 52. Ball screw

[0098] 53. Ball screw nut

[0099] 54. LM Guide

[0100] 55. LM Guide Block

[0101] 56. Bevel gear box

[0102] 57. Drive shaft

[0103] 58. Linear guide shaft

[0104] 61. Guide Block

[0105] 62. Servo motor

[0106] 63. Ball screw

[0107] 64. Linear guide shaft

[0108] 65. Slender connecting plate

[0109] 70. Slender Body Performance Evaluation System

[0110] 71. Model Testing Department

[0111] 72. Performance Evaluation Department

Claims

1. In an excitation device for slender body model testing, A main frame forming the main body of the above-mentioned excitation device; A tow truck connection part formed on one side of the main frame so as to be connectable to the measurement frame of the tow truck in the ocean engineering tank; A slender body connecting part formed on one side of the main frame to connect the slender bodies under test; A horizontal driving unit for applying horizontal movement (X-axis, Y-axis) to a slender body under test connected to the above-mentioned slender body connection part; A vertical drive unit for applying vertical movement (Z-axis) to a test subject slender body connected to the above-mentioned slender body connection part; and An excitation device for slender body model testing, characterized by being configured to include a control unit for controlling the overall operation of the excitation device.

2. In Paragraph 1, The above-mentioned excitation device is, The above main frame is formed in the shape of a rectangular frame having an internal space of a predetermined area overall, and On one side of the main frame, the tow cart connection part is formed to be installed in a manner that is mounted on the measurement frame of the tow cart inside the ocean engineering tank. The horizontal drive unit and the vertical drive unit are respectively installed in the rectangular frame portion of the main frame above, and A slender body connecting part for connecting the slender body under test is installed at the lower part of the above vertical drive part, and An excitation device for slender body model testing, characterized by being configured to apply motion in three axes (X, YZ) to a slender body subjected to testing connected to the slender body connection part by controlling the horizontal drive unit and the vertical drive unit respectively through the control unit.

3. In Paragraph 1, The above horizontal drive unit is, X-axis drive unit for implementing horizontal movement in the X-axis direction; and It is configured to include a Y-axis drive unit for implementing horizontal movement in the Y-axis direction, and Each of the above X-axis drive unit and the above Y-axis drive unit is, A servo motor positioned at one corner of the rectangular frame of the main frame to supply power; A first ball screw, one end of which is connected to the servo motor and arranged in a straight line along the side of the rectangular frame; A first ball screw nut coupled to the first ball screw and moved according to the rotation of the first ball screw; A first LM guide disposed parallel to the first ball screw in the above rectangular frame; A first LM guide block connected to one end of the first ball screw nut and moving together along the first LM guide when the first ball screw nut moves due to the rotation of the first ball screw; A first linear guide shaft connected to the first LM guide block; A first bevel gear box connected to the other end of the first ball screw; A drive shaft having one end connected to the first bevel gear box and arranged in a straight line along a side that contacts at a right angle to the side where the first ball screw is arranged; A second bevel gear box connected to the other end of the above drive shaft; A second ball screw connected to the second bevel gear box and arranged in a straight line along a side parallel to the side where the first ball screw is arranged; A second ball screw nut coupled to the second ball screw and moved according to the rotation of the second ball screw; A second LM guide arranged parallel to the second ball screw; A second LM guide block connected to one end of the second ball screw nut and moving together along the second LM guide when the second ball screw nut is moved by the rotation of the second ball screw; and An excitation device for slender body model testing, characterized by being configured to include a second linear guide axis connected to the second LM guide block.

4. In Paragraph 1, The above vertical drive unit is, A guide block formed in a box shape, with linear guide axes for the X-axis and Y-axis respectively positioned to penetrate the interior; A servo motor positioned on the upper part of the guide block to supply power, A ball screw connected vertically to the lower part of the above servo motor; Four linear guide axes each arranged vertically at each corner of the guide block to reproduce vertical movement in the Z-axis direction according to the driving of the servo motor; and An excitation device for slender body model testing, characterized by comprising a slender body connecting plate connected to the end portion of the above-mentioned linear guide shaft so as to connect the slender body under test to the bottom surface.

5. In Paragraph 4, The above-mentioned slender body connecting part is, It is composed of the above-mentioned slender connecting plate, and An excitation device for slender body model testing, characterized by having a plurality of taps machined at equal intervals on the back surface of the above-mentioned slender body plate to enable the installation of structures of various shapes including various measuring sensors.

6. In Paragraph 1, The above control unit is, An excitation device for slender body model testing, characterized by being configured to perform processing that implements a plurality of driving modes according to operating conditions set by a user, including a jog mode that implements motion based on speed and travel distance input by a user, a multi-axis motion mode that implements translational motion based on speed, travel distance, and number of reciprocating cycles in three axes input by a user, a circular motion mode that implements circular motion based on radius, period, and number of cycles in three axes input by a user, and an external mode that simulates the motion time series of an offshore structure based on coordinates defined according to time in three axes input by a user, and processing that stores the X, Y, and Z coordinates of the implemented motion to analyze whether the actual driving accuracy is accurate.

7. In Paragraph 1, The above-mentioned excitation device is, An excitation device for slender body model testing, characterized by being configured to prevent malfunction by detecting when the driving range or speed limit is exceeded according to a predetermined setting or standard, by further including limit switches using proximity sensors on the X, Y, and Z axes, respectively.

8. A slender body model test system characterized by comprising an excitation device for a slender body model test as described in Claim 1.

9. In a slender body performance evaluation system, A model test unit configured to perform a model test on a slender body under test according to a predetermined setting; and It is configured to include a performance evaluation unit that performs a process to evaluate the performance of the slender body under test according to predetermined settings or criteria based on the results of the model test performed through the above-mentioned model test unit, and The above model test unit is, A slender body performance evaluation system characterized by being configured to perform a model test of a slender body under test using an excitation device for a slender body model test described in claim 1.

10. In the method for evaluating the performance of a slender body, A model test step in which a process is performed to conduct a model test on a slender body to be tested through a model test device according to a predetermined setting; and It is configured to include a performance evaluation stage in which a process is performed to evaluate the performance of the slender body under test according to predetermined settings or criteria based on the results of the model test in the above model test stage, and The above model test stage is, A method for evaluating the performance of a slender body, characterized by being configured to perform a model test of a slender body under test using an excitation device for a slender body model test described in claim 1.

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